XVI.] 



ADMIRAL KAWAMUKA'S ENTERTAINMENT. 



G25 



of them spoke one or other of the European languages, others 

 only Japanese, in which case officials of lower rank acted as 

 interpreters, these however taking no part in the entertainment 

 along with the other guests. It was arranged after the European 

 pattern, with abundance of dishes and wines. The palace 

 consisted of a one-storied wooden house in the Japanese style 

 of construction. The rooms, to which we were admitted, were 

 ])rovided with European furniture, much the same as we would 

 expect to find in the summer residence of a well-to-do family 

 in Sweden. It was remarkable that the Japanese did not take 



KiWAMURA SUMIYOSHI. 



Japanese Minister of Marine. 



tiie trouble to ornament the room or tlie table to any consider- 

 able extent with the beautiful native bronzes or porcelain, of 

 which there is such abundanc3 in the country. The summer 

 palace was surrounded by a garden which tlie Japanese consider 

 something very extraordinary, and also on a very large scale. 

 We should call it a small, Avell and originally kept miniature 

 ]iark, with carefully dressed turf, wonderful dwarf trees, miniature 

 stone bridges, small ponds and waterfalls. The entertainment was 

 very pleasant, and all, from our intelligent host to the Premier, 



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